Winner : Andrew Copley

Year : 2012

Achievement :

Achievement:
Andrew Copley joined the water division of Durban City Council, now known as eThekwini Water Services, in 1974. He has a B. Tech Civil Engineering and his current designation is “Area Engineer-Design (Water)”.

In 1987,Andrew was instrumental in setting up and implementing the structured evaluation and application of corrosion protection for steel trunk mains in the greater Durban area. This encompassed linings, coatings and cathodic protection. This initiative has continued and remains implemented today, 25 years later. This comprehensive corrosion protection policy includes centralised procument, independent quality control, CP system monitoring, specialist investigations and contracting services.

The pinnacle of Andrew’s corrosion protection initiative has been the development, implementation and hosting of a pipeline cathodic protection GIS database in conjunction with all other pipeline owners within the greater Durban area.

Andrew has not only been an active member of the SAQCC (Corrosion), of which he is currently Chairman, he has also participated in the development of benchmarking standards for Coatings and Cathodic Protection from an end user perspective. This has been implemented by ensuring that competency is a requirement in tender documentation.

Membership of local electrolysis committees and participation in other forums has earned Andrew praise and recognition at a national level. He serves on a number of statutory committees and is the IMESA representative for the Electrolysis Commission and SABS working groups.

Andrew is a founder member of the Water Users Forum. This Forum sets minimum standards for corrosion protection systems implementing uniformity across a wide spectrum of asset owners. One of the significant successes of this Forum is the implementation of minimum levels of competency in corrosion protection within engineering service providers, corrosion practitioners, applicators and inspectors.

The Institute is pleased to award Andrew Copley the Corrosion Institute Silver Medal in recognition of 38 years of selfless and quiet contribution to the corrosion protection industry in South Africa.